1: If no access to room & supervised, how did the drives get out?
2: Over 1000 drives? Why so many? Stockpiling obselete drives? Why not wipe drives in batches?
3: Why no charges brought? It is theft by the sub-contactor!
4: As the E-Bay buyers purchased in good faith, did the trust re-purchase them? If so, another waste of taxpayers funds!

I guess the following should be considered or regarded as being a general rule of thumb when it comes to the dealing and handling of information.

Every country which are dealing with computerized data is having at least one institution who is carrying out the the necessary supervision when it comes to the handling of such data by means of laws which are currently in place and being enforced by law.

Since computers and the data they contain likely is only part of a broader context, it is generally regarded as being important that there exist a connection between the possibilities which may be available and general rule of thumbs, which typically is reflected by the laws that are in place.

Still, the meaning or intention of computers, is their way of processing the information they may contain, not only store it, which it also may be able to do.

But some people, at least when it comes to what they personally may have on their computers (or rather discs) do not bother or pay too much attention to such rules. Technological advances makes it possibly to circumvent or even break rules in certain cases and if you happen to be someone not to orderly, you are definitely likely to break the rules that are in place.

These rules are typically been put into place by politicians and therefore being enforced by the law.

So, who may possibly be watching you? Is it likely to be some politician, perhaps, or are there some watchdog(s) still out on the net and keeping a tab on your current activities?